Lakers News: Pundit Fears Opposing Front Offices Will Beat LA In Rui Hachimura Sweepstakes

What happens with Rui this summer?

The curious case of the Los Angeles Lakers offseason remains a mystery. However, now that the NBA Finals are over, we should be getting more of a clue coming soon. One of the biggest questions surrounding this team is what they will do with restricted free agent Rui Hachimura. Hachimura played a crucial role for the Lakers as they made it to the Western Conference Finals but there is no guarantee that the young wing will be back next season.

He has talked about how he enjoyed his limited time in Los Angeles but that he understands this is a business. He also mentioned that he just wants to be happy at the end of the day. Lakers insider Jovan Buha of The Athletic seems to think that Hachimura will be back with the team next season unless another team offers him an offer that is completely out of the Lakers price range.

Similarly to Reaves, I’ve heard the Lakers plan on matching any contract offer sheet Hachimura signs…

Per HoopsHype

Los Angeles acquired the wing forward before the trade deadline this season for guard Kendrick Nunn and three second round picks. They typically don’t give that much up just to let the player walk a few months later. But as Buha points out, if a team were to offer Hachimura an average of $20 million per season, it could get tricky for LA.

I think where it gets a little dicey is if there’s a team that sells themselves on Rui and offers three years, $60 million or four years, $80 million.

Per HoopsHype

Hachimura averaged 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds for the Lakers over 33 games played but it was his play come postseason time that solidified his status. His numbers bumped up to 12.2 points per game and he shot 48.7 percent from three. Compared to his 29.6 percent from three during the regular season with LA, Hachimura was balling when the lights were brightest.

Rui’s mid-range mastery: Playoff edition pic.twitter.com/BFxUH3ixW0

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) June 2, 2023

This is good news for Laker fans that had been worried about the status of Hachimura as the summer begins. He was a key piece to their puzzle and showed a ton of growth as the year went on. His ability to take on some bigger defensive matchups were huge for LA and assuming he’s back with the team next season, he could be in for a breakout year. 

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